


Strange Trails

by pteryx99



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Road Trip, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Bullying, Chaos, Character Development, Depression, Divorce, Enemies to Friends, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Gun Violence, High School Student Peter Parker, Husbands, I don’t support Tony’s decisions, Irondad, Ironfam chaos, M/M, Mid-life Crisis, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Suicidal Thoughts, Teacher Tony Stark, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony is kind of a dick, married
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-03-09 05:44:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18910753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pteryx99/pseuds/pteryx99
Summary: Amidst a chaotic mid-life crisis, alcoholic science teacher Tony Stark lets his once favourite student Peter Parker come on a road trip with him across the country.AKA: the time when Peter Parker saved Tony Starks marriage, as well as his life.





	Strange Trails

It wasn’t a surprise to anyone, or Tony himself when he was fired. Giving the principal of the school and the superintendent placid smiles as he left to pack up his things from his desk. They’d tolerated a lot from him, in light of recent events and considering both of his PhD’s which made him the most and over qualified teacher at Midtown School of Science and Technology. When they found a flask filled with bourbon in the top drawer of his desk (slightly obvious like it had subconsciously been put there on purpose) that was the final straw, amidst turning up late almost every day, refusing to grade papers and practically ignoring any student who tried to ask for help. 

One of those students had been the ever so intuitive Peter Parker, who, in seeing his once favourite teacher evasively walking to his car with a cardboard box containing his desk oddities and files, had chased after him.

“Hey, Mr Stark!”

Tony groaned, releasing a long, irritated sigh as he heard the boys footsteps approaching him from behind.

“I can’t give you anymore extra credit Parker, for the last time – actually this is the last time, I’m outta here.” 

He dropped the box onto the roof of his car and tried to unlock it, wanting to avoid the kid as quickly as possible. It was a dewy summer afternoon, an orange sky around them in the crowded car lot. Peter stopped beside him, confusion on his thin pink lips, pushing up the sleeves of his shirt like he was ready to get informed, although he’d pieced things together relatively quickly when he saw Mr Stark’s tired expression and the box on his roof.

“You’re leaving?”

“What does it look like? I’m just going on vacation obviously, I thought you were meant to be one of the smart ones.” 

Peter looked disappointed, crossing his arms like he had something to say but never quite did. “Are you ever gonna come back?”

“No, haven’t you got any friends? I have places to be.”

“You can’t leave now, finals are soon and they’re just gonna get in a substitute teacher who just puts on movies and – I mean you do the same thing but, that’s not fair, not just on us but you, too.”

“Yeah, well, life’s not fair.” The man said bluntly as he got into his car, finally looking at his ex-student. Dark purple circles ringed the older mans brown eyes, his frown lines looked particularly defined along with the grey in his un-groomed beard. “Let me tell you something, Mr Parker, one final little lesson before I never see you again; don’t rely on anybody. Especially me.” 

“…That’s not very inspiring.”

“It wasn’t meant to be. You’ll get over it. Later.” He pulled out of his space a little too quickly, and, having forgotten about his box of belongings on the roof, it fell to the concrete, the glass and other ornaments inside smashing. Tony inhaled for a long, long time, shutting his eyes in an attempt to contain his frustration, watching the domino effect taking place in front of his eyes, just wanting one thing to go right. Peter only suggested with his knees bending that he was going to retrieve the fallen items for him, Tony only sighed with more frustration in his breath than before. “Don’t. Just stop. It doesn’t matter, nothing important anyway.” Desperately turning the wheel of his grey car, forcing Peter to jump out of the way, and driving over the remnants on the floor without so much as a goodbye, or one last look at the school.

The boy was still just as confused, and upset but he wouldn’t show it. After the car had driven away, he bent down to look through the scattered memories on the floor. Lying face down, as it always was on his desk, was a picture of Tony, smiling in a way Peter or anyone hadn’t seen in a long time, with his arm around a taller blonde man. Peter looked thoughtfully at the picture, a thousand unanswerable questions in his head and slipped it out of the frame, brushing the broken glass to the floor and putting it in his backpack.

-

Peter had wanted to get away from Ned and MJ at school later that day just as much as he didn’t want to go home, he just didn’t know why. 

As the evening drew in, hot darkness shrouding the city as Peter walked home through the suburbs, admittedly as he felt safer, he spotted a familiar head of brown hair, curling at the base of his neck, shoving plastic bags into the back of his car. After their last encounter he thought he should just carry on walking, but remembered the picture in his bag, as well as the growing curiosity at the mans actions. 

“Hi, Mr Stark.” He said tentatively after he crossed the street, Tony jumped and glared at him. “I didn’t know you lived around here.” Peter said quickly before he could say anything to scold him for making him surprised in an unfavourable way. 

“I don’t live here. I’m just staying here. Isn’t it past your curfew? What are you doing sneaking up on people like that?” He groaned and shook his head, I trimmed curled falling slightly to frame his face, his black thick rimmed glasses balanced on his nose. 

“It’s 7 o’clock, Mr Stark.” 

“How observant of you. Now if you don’t mind –“ 

“I thought you might want this.” Tony’s nostrils flared when Peter interrupted him, although he didn’t notice, as he reached around to pull the photograph out of his bag, hoping his books hadn’t creased it. 

The older man practically snatched the photograph from the boys pale hands. “Why –“ he folded it and shoved it into the pocket of his jeans, it was always a weird sensation to Peter seeing a teacher in their natural setting, wearing their casual clothes and acting in their own environment, although it wasn’t particularly jarring now, Mr Stark had stopped wearing suits and sweaters to school and resided to jeans or slacks most days, but that wasn’t the most important thing that had changed about his Physics teacher. “Are you stalking me? This is just weird, Parker, even for you, I don’t appreciate it.”

Peter scrunched up mouth, his youthfully bright brown eyes narrowing, an auburn curl flicking over his forehead. “Geez. Why so grouchy, I was just trying to do you a favour.”

“Well, don’t, I don’t need it.” Tony pulled back his pointed finger and resumed shoving black bags into the trunk of his old car, pushing his hair up in annoyance, mostly that Peter was still there. 

“Looks like you’re trying to hide a dead body.”

“Yeah, wanna help?” 

Peter tried to pick up a bag from the floor, earning a dismissive wave of the hand from his role model. 

“Not literally. Don’t touch my stuff.”

“Oh – Sorry. What are you actually doing?” 

“Have you always been so nosy, kid? Do you really not have any friends?” Tony knew Peter _did_ have friends, he was just irritated, even more so that Peter wasn’t giving in, and he wouldn’t. Peter knew his teacher, he knew the man he’d spent most of his high school life admiring, he remembered that every time the man was snappy, or rude, or purposefully hurtful – for some reason this only worked to anger the man further. 

Peter just stared, one hand gripped onto his over crammed backpack, pulling it up his shoulder. He looked innocently curious in a way even Tony couldn’t ignore, so he didn’t, even though he regretted it soon after. 

“I’m heading off. Think of it as a ‘Great American Road Trip’, except I don’t know where I’m going, or for how long. So long as I’m as far away from this city as possible.” He said with a sigh, his hand clapping against his side after he’d finished speaking. He slammed the trunk shut, leaning against it towards Peter, who was now chewing on his lip, his brows furrowed as they usually did when he was thinking. “So, you know maybe you can hurry along and let me pack so we can resume that ‘never seeing each other again’ business. I shouldn’t have been so quick to say it before but –“

“Can I come with you?”

The older man blinked, and then his mouth parted slightly, and then he laughed, wiping a hand across his forehead. The laugh wasn’t genuine but the look on Peters face was serious, making Tony’s serious too when he’d finally looked at him, young and determined.

“Are you – No.”

“Im serious.”

“I know. The answer is still no. Obviously.”

“Why not?”

Tony scoffed. “I don’t have a piece of paper long enough to list all the reasons why not. You’re a minor, Your parents will kill me, and I frankly don’t want you there so. I think that’s reason enough.” Peter tried to speak, Tony swiftly interrupted him with his authority. “You were the one giving me that sob story about your finals earlier, so why do you suddenly wanna skip school, skip town, leave all your friends, because I told you, I don’t know how long I’m going for.” Again, Peter had tried to speak and Tony had again, interrupted him. “Not to add that –“

“Can you just listen to me?!” 

Tony didn’t respond.

“Ugh – no it was stupid to even ask. Whatever. Goodbye, Mr Stark.” The boy turned on his heels away from the man, feeling embarrassed and ashamed, his cheeks burning pink. 

“Hey. Kid.” Tony’s gruff voice spoke from beside his car, lit by a yellow street lamp that seemed to light the entirety of the long road lined with houses and apartments, seemingly endless into the night. “C’mere.” 

Peter obeyed, turning around with a sad, childish look on his face.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you wanna come? Hm?” He tilted his head in a vague concern, “I know some of those kids pick on you, that it? Because that’ll pass. Or is this just some defiant teenager thing, rebel without a cause? Cause I’ve long been there and done that and let me tell ya, it’s not pretty for anybody involved.” Tony recognised he shouldn’t be considering it at all, however he was curious, just as Peter was.

“I’m not. It’s none of those things. I’m just kind of sick of everything, and I don’t really wanna deal with it right now?”

“Tough. You can’t just run away from your problems.”

“Then what are you doing right now?”

“Watch it. Listen I’m sure whatever you’ve got going on doesn’t measure up to my shit, okay? And – I’m an adult, I’m allowed to make reckless life decisions.” 

“I’m almost 17.”

“What part of _minor_ don’t you understand? I’m not taking you with me, and having a bunch of police cars chase me for kidnapping. No way.”

“Please, Mr Stark, I won’t be a pain.”

“I don’t think you can promise me that, you’re already annoying me.”

“I’ll tell my aunt, I’ll say I’m on a school trip or something.”

“Peter. No. Why do you wanna go so bad? I thought I was the expert at making impulse decisions, you don’t even have anything with you.”

“It’s better than here. And… you won’t be alone!”

“The whole point of this is me being away from everyone else. Don’t you get that?” Tony sighed, taking a good look at Peters face, sullen and desperate. He wasn’t really considering this, surely? Taking a minor over state lines, he’d be locked up indefinitely. That was unless he got permission, which it sounded like he was willing to get. Maybe it wouldn’t be so terribly bad to have some company, even for a few days and then he can put the kid on a flight home. “Can you drive?” 

“Yeah!” His eyes widened.

Tony chewed on his gum for a while and saw an opportunity. It would make it easier after all, to have someone else around, when he needed to sleep, or drink. This wasn’t the worst thing he’s done.

“I suppose I don’t have any moral or legal obligation to preserve your well being anymore.” He looked down the long road, aware of Peters complete lack of responsibility to make serious life choices for himself yet was overcome with an even stronger arguing factor: apathy.

He’d simply stopped caring about all consequences that might arise from the situation, he knew that when he’d impulsively packed his car, with no destination. Poor Peter might just unknowingly become collateral damage in his spree. 

Swiping a hand across his eyes, knowing he’d immediately regret the words coming out of his mouth. “Alright, lone wanderer, get in.” 

“Really?” Peter was too excited to hide.

“Yes. Quickly, before I change my mind.” Peter nodded, pacing around the other side of the bed hind and jumping into the passenger seat, throwing his bag onto the backseat, which immediately irritated Tony but he’d ignore it for now, lumping himself into the drivers seat. 

“Mr Stark, you won’t regret this.” 

“Don’t speak so soon.” As he put the keys into the ignition, turning towards the boy beside him, he made a serious expression, littered with some doubt as well as a complete lack of remorse. “Okay, lets lay out some ground rules. This is not a get on and off bus, alright? If you’re unsure, back out now, because I’m not turning around to take you back, understand?” Peter nodded. “Rule number two: don’t whine, alright? I don’t need that, this isn’t a trip to the Bahamas.” Peter nodded again. “Finally, I get to pick the music. Yes?”

“Yep.” The boy replied candidly, he didn’t want to push the man any further to the point he physically pushed him out the car. “You’re not at all what you were like at the beginning of school. Like not at all.”

“Is that some kind of analysis, Parker? People change, move on, leave. You’ll learn that. If you want someone else I suggest you get out now.”

“I didn’t mean it in a bad way.” He shrugged. “I mean, Mr Stark a year ago wouldn’t let me come on some weird trip around the country with him – like. I don’t know what I’m trying to say.”

“Glad you’re trying to look at the positives.”

“Mr Stark?”

“Mhm.” The man said impatiently and started off down the road, getting antsy that he might not ever be able to leave. Peter seemed surprised that they were in fact going and that they weren’t just going to sit and talk about it all night, surprised that his teacher hadn’t warned him how suddenly they’d be setting off into nowhere, the spontaneity of it all from both of them, although it was a familiar street it was as if they were both driving into the unknown, no restrictions, yet the weight of the world on top of them.

“Um. Why did you get fired? Or should I not ask that?”

“You shouldn’t, but ya did.” 

“I won’t tell anyone at school.”

“I don’t care about that. It’s just none of your business.” 

“I think it is my business.”

Tony scoffed. 

“Oh come on, we’re gonna be spending an unspecified amount of time together. I mean, I need to know if the man I’m hitchhiking with is _credible_.” 

“Credible?”

“Yeah that you weren’t like selling tests and stuff, like a liar. I need to know I can trust you. How can I travel across the country with a liar, that’s just not sensible at all.”

Tony could tell the boy was trying to be humorous, but he wasn’t quite in the mood.

“I can assure you, I’m a lot of things, a liar is not one of them.”

“Like what?”

“If I tell you, will you be quiet?”

Peter pinched his pointer and his thumb together, dragging the formation across his lips. Tony just watched out the corner of his eye, trying not to get distracted from the road, although he had an urge to roll his eyes. 

“You’ve been my student for long enough. I’m sure you’re not surprised. I guess, you can try and push people, you can try as hard as you can and they won’t give in. But then all they need is one more little budge and then that’s it. Everything falls down. I’ve had this in my cards for a long time, it’s just weird when it actually happens. That answer your question at all?”

Peter was quiet until he realised he’d been addressed. “Um. Not really.”

“Oh? That’s too bad.”

“Well I don’t think I have to be quiet until you give me a real answer.”

Peter looked across at Tony, his eyes wide, eyebrows raised in suggestion. Tony looked at him for a moment before he looked back at the street spangled in lights, trying to look through the buildings so that he could look towards the sea. He almost thought it was unfair of him to keep things from the kid, but then remembered that he wasn’t a part of the plan until approximately ten minutes prior. There was no point trying to make reason of anything, it was clear already that neither of them had very good judgement.

“Seatbelt.” Tony said bluntly.

“Oh! Yeah. Wait you haven’t got yours on.”

“Ah – I’m a grownup.”

“Uh - Grownups die in car crashes too!” The teenager yelled sarcastically, Tony winced.

“Great, maybe that’ll happen and I won’t have to listen to your voice anymore.”

“I can’t tell if you’re joking.”

“Do you wanna find out?”

“Not especially.” 

“Shame.”

Unable to be distracted, Tony’s mind wandered back to the picture Peter returned to him, the one that was currently crumpling under his ass – fittingly. He pondered what Steve would think about him running across country with a random kid from his class, or if he would even notice he was gone. He would probably be pissed. Maybe he wouldn’t care, maybe he would be glad.

Peter was already fidgeting in his seat and they hadn’t even reached the bridge. For all he knew, the kid was as messed up as he was, why else would he want to come with him? 

Running away from your demons was a lot easier than facing them – a lesson Tony had already failed to instil in the boy.

But, Peter seemed okay. He seemed okay in class, not that Tony had been paying particular attention as of late. He looked okay, clicking his tongue in boredom next to Tony (until the man told him to stop), his pale blue shirt that was slightly too big for him buttoned all the way to his neck, short curls sitting atop his head, threatening to fall whenever Tony stopped the car in traffic. No – he was the epitome of youth, bright and hopeful, it made him wonder why he was so ready to up and leave, like he was himself.

He was almost envious. He started to look so old, his back hurt more than he cared to admit. Looking at Peter practically bouncing in the seat next to him he tried to remember the last time he had that much pep in his step. It bothered him, obviously, grey hairs also bothered him, the fact that his stomach protruded in his shirts a little bothered him, the fact he hadn’t had sex in weeks bothered him, that particularly thought reminded him he hadn’t seen Steve in weeks.

Tony wanted a drink.

“Where we going first?” Peter popped open the top collar of his shirt, slinking down in the seat. They’d only been driving for twenty minutes, and although he seemed more and more agitated, anyone else would ask that at the beginning of the journey, unless they weren’t particularly bothered.

“A gas station, I assume you don’t carry around a toothbrush with you?”

“No, but now I know I should.” He smiled. “And I meant – state-wise.”

“It’s already late. We’ll probably stay in Pennsylvania.”

“Cool.” Peter begun to bounce his leg up and down. It wasn’t very awkward, they’d been alone together before in the past, his teacher sitting in with him at lunch or after school to help him with assignments until he’d stopped offering, or that one time Tony had caught a couple of his classmates picking on him and made him stay behind to talk about it. Evidently, Peter didn’t say much about it – he never thought there was anything to say. 

Still, it was a strange situation for the both of them. Thankfully neither of them were particularly shy.

“What’s the matter?”

“Huh – nothing.”

“Good.” Tony said his hands up and down the wheel as he spoke, more relaxed as the traffic declined the further they drove out the city. Peter noticed a thick gold band on his finger, the colour has turned cloudy, but it still stood out against his course fingers. 

“Are you married?”

“I – Well you obviously know so why are you asking?” Tony’s voice flamed with a sudden anger, he didn’t have the best temper lately – he resented himself for it.

“Yeah I know now, I didn’t before.”

“I don’t expect you to know anything about my private life just like I don’t care to know about yours.” 

“You were pretty cool with me in school - _I didn’t mean for that to rhyme_ \- I’m just surprised.”

“You learn something new every day.” His voice was droll, trying to seep through his annoyance. 

Tony could see Peter trying to figure out the situation in his head out of the corner of his eye. 

“Does your wife know you’re going away?”

Tony didn’t respond. Although Peter realised he’d struck a nerve, he couldn’t stop himself from pressing further. 

“Mr Stark?”

Peter didn’t reach the final ‘k’ of his name before Tony swerved to the side of the ride where he could, the boy grabbed onto the side of the car although the manoeuvre hadn’t been that drastic. As the man pulled the handbrake aggressively he turned to look at Peter, his jaw locked. 

“I am doing you a favour, letting you tag along, so let me make it clear. I do not want to talk about my life, about my marriage – with you. If you’re so interested in getting to know each other then tell me the real reason you want to run away from home, yeah?” Bitterness spat off his tongue, his old tired eyes were engulfed in fire.

Peter was quiet once again.

“Right - I am under no obligation to be fair to you Parker, and quite frankly I’m not in the mood. Today has been the icing on the SHIT cake, so if you have any more burning questions I suggest you get them out now before I leave you here and let you walk home.”

It was an empty threat, mostly. Tony still considered the chauffeur side of Peter that would allow him to sleep in the back. Don’t let it be twisted, however, Tony liked Peter, he always had.

It wasn’t Peter he was mad at.

Tony released a long sigh, angry at himself as Peter looked at his feet. 

“Listen. If you still want to go through with this, it would make both of our lives much more bearable if you just avoided the subject.”

In the most painful way, the boys eyes searched curiously over Tony’s face, as if he already understood. Like the look of pain was a familiar one to him. 

“Did… did something happen?”

He meant – did your spouse die? His elder understood that right away. The sick, awful part of his brain that had begun to control the majority of his thought processes said, _”No, but it would be easier if that were the case._ ” He was immediately glad he hadn’t said it out loud, and equally mad that Peter had asked.

“Let’s just go. Okay? If we’re really doin’ this, then let’s just go. No looking back.”

“Y – Yeah, no looking back. Cool. This is cool. Sorry, Mr Stark.”

Another regretful sigh escaped the older mans lips as he started up the car and drove away once again. “Ugh, I don’t care, don’t worry. And just call me Tony? I’m not your teacher anymore.”

“You’ve not been my teacher for like 5 hours, you can’t expect me to get used to it right away, and it feels weird. Like going up to the president and calling him ‘Donald’.”

“Yeah and not ‘asshat’.” Tony muttered, earning a quiet, chesty laugh from Peter.

“You’re not wrong.”

“I usually never am.” Although the words came out of his mouth naturally, they made him cringe as they did, even so, he attempted a smile in Peters direction, although he didn’t feel like it.

Hoping it would stop any possible conversation, Tony put his own music on, loud, even though it gave him a headache. It was _Beast of Burden_ by the Rolling Stones. It was loud enough to put his negative thoughts at ease while they drove into the night, and thankfully Peter was playing games on his phone in between texting. 

The further they drew out of the city, the darker it became. The artificial lights that lit up the sky and sea put behind them like they had hoped. Tony’s grey leather seats didn’t seem as dull the more they escaped the overbearing neon signs and glowing billboards and into the suburbia of Pennsylvania, old red buildings and tall trees which were refreshingly morose. They wouldn’t make it to Pittsburgh where they’d be able to stay in a relatively decent hotel, the man was exhausted and Peter was restless. Tony considered driving to Philly, but it made him think of Rhodey, and all else he was leaving behind.

Instead, they drove for almost 100 miles, reached Allentown. Peter was excitedly looking out his window, as if he’d never left the city before, part of it was also nervousness, anxiety of the unknown in his stomach, to him, though, all that mattered was that he trusted his teacher.

The gas station they stopped at was lonely, only lit by the jarring white lights inside the store, the only place they could find open at the time. Tony saw from glancing at Peters phone that it was 12:37am, he hadn’t wanted to look at his own, the lack of messages or calls would only depress him further. 

“Your… aunt know where you are?” Tony asked distantly as he shut his gas tank, breathing in the intoxicating smell, Peter seemed to scrunch his nose up at it as he got out of the car.

“I told her I’m staying at my friend Ned’s, and that we’re going on a trip with school in the morning. He lives closer to school so… it makes sense, trust me.”

“You feel okay lying to her?” The man pursed his lips.

Peters words came out eventually, he felt as though he was being interrogated, even though Tony didn’t care all that much.

“…Used to it, I guess.” He shrugged his shoulders, rubbing his fingers on each elbow. He didn’t even seem to mind being out so late in a strange place. “I don’t like it.”

“Hm. I miss being a teenager. All that _angst_.” The mad said in a sarcastic tone, quirking his brows and passing by Peter, Who’s face was even more contorted than before, to get to the store. The boy followed behind him regardless. 

“I’m starving.” It was just as empty inside, Tony ignoring Peter only added to the silence as he went to pay for the gas, the boy wandered through the narrow, low aisles, looking unsatisfied with the lack of options.

The man behind the counter was an older, Asian man who watched peter curiously, like he would steal something. Of course, he wouldn’t, he grabbed a toothbrush, a large bag of chips, a litre of coke and a fridge magnet, waiting behind Tony at the counter. Glancing over his shoulder and seeing the boy cradling everything in his arms, huffed and began to take them from him one by one, placing them on the counter in front of him, he also asked for a bottle of Jack Daniels and a pack of cigarettes.

 

“Oh – Mr Stark it’s fine I can pay for my stuff.” 

“Shush.” He pointed at the souvenir in his palm. “‘M not payin for that though.” 

“It’s okay, thank you, I was gonna get a hot dog too anyway.”

Tony stopped and turned around, his back facing the increasingly impatient man although there weren’t any other customers around, leaning close to Peter and lowering his voice.

“Did no one ever tell you not to buy food from truck stops? That’s the worst decision you could make, apart from coming on this trip with me.” It didn’t matter, the man heard anyway.

“I’ve only ever been to D.C and we were on a bus the whole time so, no.” 

Tony rolled his eyes and turned back around to the displeased attendant, paying in cash. “We’ll get drive-through city mouse.”

He gave Peter the white plastic bag with his snacks and left for his car while Peter payed for his fridge magnet, it was small, royal blue and cheap looking, badly painted black horses around some sort of crest, but it was fine, it was proof he’d been away, and he wanted a keepsake.

They ended up getting food from an off brand burger place, and found a cheap and rather bland motel in the middle of town, a small parking lot in front of the two story building, which was surprisingly full, judging the size of the place. Their room was an average size suite, two large beds (Tony hadn’t anticipated the cost of having Peter with him), ugly 70s themed décor that hadn’t been renovated in years by the looks of it, all the walls were a rustic, dirty orange and the bed sheets were thin with a dated cream and brown zig zagged pattern, the beds themselves separated by a wooden end table, wall lamps with yellow shades on each side. 

As Peter threw his box of fries in the trash, immediately looking towards the small flatscreen on the wall (very out of place), and Tony set his bottle down on a round table by the door, they both became aware that they were actually doing _something_ that they weren’t driving around aimlessly, and that was it, they’d both made a commitment to absolutely nothing, no plans, no families, just two people, running away from their lives for as long as they could – not necessarily together and not apart either. 

They got ready for bed in silence, mostly out of pure exhaustion, more than just that of the physical. Peter had been texting Ned for most of the journey, reminding him to say that he was with him if Aunt May called – he knew the drill anyway. When he was under the covers, shielding his face and phone underneath in fear of waking Mr Stark, he texted MJ, nervous, for some reason, as he tapped his phone along the screen. 

’Hey, going out of town for awhile. Don’t know how long.’

_‘That was random. What about finals?’_

‘Probs be back before then. It cool.’

_’Ok. Y r u telling me this?’_

‘Thought you’d wanna know?’

_‘Aw. Gna miss u.’_

(…)

_‘Not rlly.’_

Peter immediately stopped what he was in the middle of typing, deleting everything.

‘Lol. I’m gna sleep, gnight.’

_‘Night. Hope u don’t get trafficked.’_

‘Hope u don’t get hit by a bus.’

_‘Haha. Bye.’_

He smiled to himself, and proceeded text Aunt May goodnight. 

When he arose from beneath the covers, he noticed the lack of a lump of a body in the bed next to him, the bathroom door was wide open. He’d been so worried about not bothering Mr Stark he hadn’t noticed this not being around to bother. Only in his shirt, that he’d been wearing all day, only buttoned up along his torso and cuffs loosened, hanging by his wrists and a pair of sweats he’d borrowed from his teacher, they were too big for him so he’d knitted the strings as much as he could – he headed outside to look for him.

It didn’t take long to find him, leaning over the railing, standing in his boxers, the t shirt he’d been wearing and the old robe he’d found in the closet. His hands dangled over the edge, a cigarette in one, the bottle in the other, he only glanced at Peter when he heard him walk beside him.

“Thought you were asleep.” He muttered in the boys direction, taking a long drag of his cigarette before rubbing the back of his thumb against his head tiredly. A car drove by playing intelligible music way too loud, it was 2am now, all windows and lights were dark and it was the only car on the road, blaring in the dark.

“You shouldn’t smoke, ya know?”

“Aren’t you a little too… I don’t know - _little_ to be telling me what I should and shouldn’t be doing?”

“Just saying. It’s bad for you.” 

“Yeah well, old habits die hard. That’s what they say right?”

Peter notices that half the bottle was missing already.

“Do you know… what’s bad for you, Peter?” He flicked the stub of over the rail, and finally looked at the boy, his hair even messier than before, gulping like he was preparing himself. “Uh, I don’t know, off the top of my head, um – your marriage falling apart, uhhh losing your job, crippling debt? Those things are _bad_ for you, I think I can spare myself the lecture from a 16 year old about one cigarette.” 

He held his head in his hands after he spoke, regretful, and pathetic, only a little drunk.

“Is that why you’re doing this?” Peter stepped closer to him, although he felt anxious, the man simply wiped his free hand across his face, looking sorrowfully at Peter. “You still wear your wedding ring so – it can’t be that bad. The only reason I thought… um – my Aunt still wears her wedding ring even though my uncle is…”

“My husband isn’t dead. We’re separated. If you must know, hell I guess you know all of it now.” 

“Oh.” Peter looked thoughtful, and cautious. He hadn’t realised quite what he’d gotten himself into but, neither of them had. “Is that why you’re so mad?” Peter had been acknowledging Tony’s mood and behaviour, this was the first time he’d addressed it.

“I think it warrants a little reason to be mad don’t you?”

The air was heavy around them, distance honking of horns as another lonely car pulled into the motel.

“At least you’re not alone.”

Tony laughed bitterly and didn’t respond, taking a swig from the bottle and staring at his hands, presumably at the ring. “Go to bed, Peter.”

“You’re not my teacher anymore, can’t tell me what to do.”

Tony laughed again and muttered to himself, alcohol rushing to his head. “ _Little shit._ ”

“I wouldn’t have come if you were anyone else, by the way.”

“Really? I appreciate that.” He didn’t.

“…I mean it. You’re like super smart, and I know you act like you don’t give a shit but you wouldn’t have said yes if you didn’t so –“

“Peter. The only reason you’re here is so you can drive me around when I’m hungover. Don’t look up to me, don’t get attached to me, alright. My husband doesn’t care anymore, neither will you. That’s just life, I don’t care.” 

And with that, the man finally stood up straight and walked past Peter, trying not to look at the confused look of sadness on his face.

It took Peter a while to come to terms with what he’d said. Standing alone in the cold. Wondering if he’d made a mistake coming. 

When he finally came back into the dark room, saw mr Stark in his bed, eyes close, he did the same in silence. 

Out of the quiet, the man spoke, the only voice that allowed itself to be heard that night.

“Sorry about your uncle.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thought I’d write something a little different! Feedback is always appreciated and thanks for reading!


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